


Meddling in the Affairs of Mortals

by Oakwyrm



Category: Thrilling Intent (Web Series)
Genre: Death is tired of this shit, Letters, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Meddling Immortals, Oblivious Gregor, well not yet but it's gonna happen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-05
Updated: 2017-03-05
Packaged: 2018-09-28 11:27:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10098461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oakwyrm/pseuds/Oakwyrm
Summary: Zalvetta and Gregor write letters to each other quite often, they look out over the sea, they wonder, and most importantly they're seriously beginning to annoy the immortal entity known as Death.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Yes hello this is a thing

Gregor knew Death. Not the universal truth of death coming to all living creatures, though he knew that well enough, too. Not the abstract concept of a soul and what death meant in the end, that he was clueless of. No, nothing quite so philosophical and sad. Quite simply, Gregor Hartway knew Death.

Gregor also knew Charoth, of course, but Charoth was not Death, he was a Death God and a spirit closely tied with mortal death for sure, but he was not _Death_. Death was a figure shrouded by darkness, Death was a large black dog, Death was a mysterious traveller sitting by the side of the road, Death was a fierce rage at the injustice of the world. The injustice that took the young and left the old behind.

To Gregor, Death was a familiar face. So to speak. He didn't know if he would call them a friend. Well, actually yes. _He_ would call them a friend. He didn't know what their stance on the matter was. He doubted Death ever formed friendships. At the very least he was someone Death liked to check up on every now and then. He didn't really know if that was a good or a bad thing.

Though he did not know it, or even think about it over much, he was not the only living person to have spoken with Death. There had been many, perhaps surprisingly many, over the years. What exactly the criteria for “mortal who Death will speak to” was Gregor didn't know. He probably didn't want to know.

Whatever this criteria was there was another closer to Gregor than he might have thought.

Zalvetta stared out over the sea in the direction that the ships had taken off. Quietly he debated whether it would be a good idea to go visit the Shrouded Isles some time or not. But he did, of course, have his own duties to worry about. The Shadow Guild didn't run itself.

Unknowingly the two of them had chosen pretty much the exact same moment to stare out over the sea, wondering about life and feelings. And they were seriously starting to get on the nerves of the immortal entity known as Death.

“If you're so annoyed by them why don't you do something about it?” A cascade of white hair was all Death saw for a moment before Life's face appeared before them. Xe was hanging upside down, or rather floating. Xyr current form was that of a pale, lithe human with frankly way too much hair. Only not quite human, the limbs were just a little too long and there was something about the face that would have made an actual human uneasy, though they would not be able to figure out why.

Death moved Life's hair out of the way with a slightly annoyed sound so they could return to watching two of the living creatures they were currently invested in and their mildly annoying antics.

“They're your charges, you do something,” they replied. Life turned over in mid air, floating down somewhat so xe hovered next to Death rather than above them.

“You're the one who cares,” xe pointed out, stretching somewhat and looking down into the window Death had created to the mortal world. Lightly xe touched Gregor's nose, creating a ripple effect in the image, as if it was a reflection in water.

“Stop that,” Death waved Life's hand away from the window. Xe laughed easily, letting xyr feet lightly touch down on the floor with a gentle tap. “Besides what do I know of love?” Death waved their hand, making the image move from Gregor to Zalvetta.

“Nothing,” Life said immediately. Death gave xem a flat look. Xe leaned against their desk and returned the look. Death sighed and looked back to the window.

“Well you're not wrong.” They leaned back and rubbed their temples. Not even immortal personifications of death were free from headaches. Especially not when Life was around.

“I must admit, though,” Life leaned towards the window again. “This one intrigues me.” Xe moved as if to poke Zalvetta's cheek but this time Death was too quick for xem, blocking xyr hand before xe hand a chance to enact the plan.

“Stop trying to touch the window.”

“Why? It's not like it actually affects them at all.”

Death opened their mouth to protest but found any point they could make moot. Life was right. As usual. They shut their mouth again and shot xem a half hearted glare. Xe laughed.

Death returned their eyes to the window. Honestly at this point they wouldn't be surprised if Zalvetta burst into some song about love and loneliness. Well, they would be, given Zalvetta's character, but at the same time they really wouldn't be.

“He intrigues you?” Death asked. Life nodded, floating up and stepping onto Death's desk before crouching down to get a closer look at the image of Zalvetta staring out over the water in the direction of the Shrouded Isles.

“Well, he's obviously one of my creations,” xyr voice was somewhat curious.

“I will push you off,” Death commented, though they also listened intently to Life's words.

“Oh hush you.” Xe gently tapped their forehead, pushing them backwards a bit. They scowled and batted xyr hand away. “I remember when he was just a light in the palm of my hand, not yet ready to enter the mortal plain. And now-” xe scratched thoughtfully at the side of xyr head- “well, not that I particularly care, once they're there they're there let them figure it out. Still it's an odd feeling. There's so much death hanging on to him, I almost can't sense him any more.” Life poked the mirror again, as if that would bring more insight into who Zalvetta was beneath the shroud of death that hung around him.

When this didn't happen xe rose to stand again, balancing on the very edge of the desk.

“But Gregor's not a problem?” Death asked, raising an eyebrow. Life laughed and kicked off of the desk, slowly twirling in mid air.

“Not in the slightest, have you seen the boy? He may have a lot to work through but he's got a lot of life in him. Enough to shine clear through the shroud that hangs around him.” Xe landed on the ceiling, smiling down at Death. They sighed and rolled their eyes before returning to staring at the window.

“You know I'm serious.” Life walked across the ceiling until xe was standing above Death and craning xyr neck to look up at them. Or rather down. Depending on who you asked. “If you're so bothered by this go interfere.” Xe reached down and poked the top of Death's head.

They stood up slowly until their face was level with Life's.

“I'm blaming you if this blows up in my face.”

Life merely shrugged.

***

Gregor felt a sudden chill wind pick up, almost moving through him and making him shiver somewhat as it converged towards a point, gathering dead leaves as it went. It quickly formed a small tornado that grew in strength, the leaves completely obscuring anything that might have been at its centre growing stronger and stronger. It tugged at Gregor's clothes, even at Gregor himself. He quickly anchored himself to the ground with the nearest large rock, his eyes shut tight against the wind and-

Just as abruptly as it started it suddenly stopped.

The winds parted and the leaves scattered to reveal a large, imposing figure, hooded and cloaked in a mantel of living shadow.

Gregor quickly jumped to his feet and ran over, catching Death in a big hug. Even though at their current height he could only really comfortably hug their waist. Death stood still, staring down at him for a few seconds before gently placing a hand on his head.

“Have I really been gone so long?” they asked, looking down at Gregor. Mortals aged so very quickly but Gregor didn't seem to have changed very much. When he let go they crouched down to study his face.

He was smiling. Smiling seemed to be almost his default setting. He really hadn't changed much since Death had last visited. Their memory was one of crystal clarity. They could, if they wished, conjure an image, perfectly preserved, of what Gregor had looked like when last they met. His hair seemed to have gotten a little bit longer and there were a few more scars on him now but it really didn't seem like enough time had passed to warrant such an enthusiastic greeting.

“No, you just looked like you could use a hug.” Death blinked. Perhaps they shouldn't really have been surprised by that. They gently ruffled his hair.

“Your mannerisms have changed as much as your looks have, I see,” they said. “I truly am glad you haven't entered my halls yet.”

“Oh don't worry. I don't plan on doing that any time soon!” Gregor grinned. Death had to smile. This was perhaps one of the reasons they occasionally enjoyed conversing with Gregor. His optimism was almost entirely unrelenting. There was something refreshing about being near someone like that when your entire existence revolved around, well, death.

“That plan almost went south for you recently, didn't it?” Again. Almost went south again, they should say. Gregor had come so close to their door so many times throughout his life. It wasn't precisely unusual for Death to get a few people who came close to crossing over only to turn back and the threshold but it had been a long, long time since they'd known someone to come so close so often as Gregor had in his life.

Gregor shrugged. “I'm still here, though.” He glanced out towards the water again and Death sighed.

“I of all entities would know you're the last person to dismiss how quickly and unexpectedly a life can end.” Death crossed their arms and fixed their gaze on the back of Gregor's head. His shoulders drooped somewhat but other than that he showed no outward sign of actually heeding their words.

“So why'd you decide to drop by?” Gregor, as expected, dodged the subject. “You usually have some kind of reason.” He turned back to face Death, an inquisitive look in his eye.

Death took a moment to think before seating themself cross-legged on the grass and patting the open space at their side. Gregor quickly seated himself, still watching Death with some curiosity.

They took a moment to think about how to approach this. As Life has so eloquently pointed out they knew nothing about mortal hearts.

So the two of them sat there in relative silence for a moment.

“Or you could not have a reason that's fine, too.” Gregor's voice broke the silence and made Death blink.

“No I have a reason,” they said, gently ruffling Gregor's hair again as they continued to think, “I merely got lost in the sunset. I've always found them fascinating.”

“You don't get sunsets where you live? Or... exist. Are you alive?” Gregor asked, leaning back somewhat. Death chuckled.

“We don't have a sky like yours,” they answered. Truthfully they didn't really have a sky at all. More an... endless void stretching as far as the eye could see. “As for why I'm here and if I'm alive, well, one of those is much more easily answerable than the other.” They resumed their thoughtful staring out towards the horizon.

“I came here because you've met someone recently. You've met a lot of people from what I can tell-” they neglected to mention how surprised they had been to find he had sent a human to their doorstep- “but there is one in particular to whom I am referring.” They kept their eyes trained on Gregor. At the moment there were five or them, all looking more like windows to the stars than eyes.

“Kyrlos?” Gregor asked, looking down at his hands. Why wouldn't they be talking about Kyrlos? It made sense for them to be here about him and Gregor honestly didn't know if he could talk about that fight yet.

“Zalvetta, actually,” Death said. He blinked and looked back up at them, a curious frown crossing his face.

“What about Zalvetta?”

Death's face was almost never an easy one to read but if Gregor had to guess he'd say they looked thoughtful. For a moment they remained quiet, lazily drawing a circle in the air a couple of times. When nothing happened they almost seemed surprised for a moment before shaking it off and instead turning to Gregor again.

“What do you think of him?”

Gregor leaned back, using his arms to steady himself. “I-” he stopped, suddenly stumped. “I'm not sure?”

He hadn't thought about it much. Zalvetta was his friend, that much he knew. It should be a simple enough question to answer. And yet there he was, unsure of what his answer should be.

Death sighed and considered for a second that they might be the completely wrong person for this job.

“Do you consider him a friend?” they asked. Gregor immediately nodded.

“Yeah, he's my friend. We write letters sometimes,” he smiled. Death nodded slowly and got to their feet again.

“That's good at least. Do me a favour, would you? Take some time to... uh... think. Just. Think about your feelings I guess?”

Gregor was about to answer them when a powerful burst of force knocked him backwards. When he sat back up Death was nowhere to be seen.

Gregor got to his feet again. He cast one more glance out at the setting sun, almost completely gone from the sky now, before turning and heading back towards the bar.

He had barely pulled the door open when he felt Markus' concerned look fix onto him. Which, honestly, he was expecting. He wasn't entirely sure how or why but Markus seemed to always know when Death had visited Gregor. Well, he probably didn't know that it was Death exactly but he certainly knew something had happened.

“Are you ok?” Markus was frowning.

“I'm fine!” Gregor smiled. Nothing about this would have clued anyone in to any falsehood because he was telling the truth. Well, somewhat of the truth. Still Markus frowned. The odd haze that hung around Gregor sometimes was unsettling. It sent a chill down Markus' spine that he couldn't quite place. He couldn't figure out _why_. So he watched Gregor retreat into his own little corner of the bar with a slight frown.

***

Gregor stared down at the table, his leg bounced restlessly as he mulled over Death's words. Cryptic, as per usual. He almost never got straight answers out of them. But in this case he hadn't really been asking and it was a first for them to initiate a conversation about any one particular person.

The sky outside had grown completely dark as Gregor tried to puzzle out a meaning. He turned Zalvetta's most recent letter over in his hands a couple times, eyes following the now familiar handwriting. Zalvetta's handwriting was small, rushed, words sometimes had too little space between them, running down the page in lopsided lines sloping downward. Often the ink would change when a new sentence began.

It gave the impression of a quick hand, jotting down thoughts and feeling periodically through the day. Asking questions, answering some of Gregor's, updating him on how things were going. Never quite sitting down long enough to write the thing out in one sitting.

Sometimes the words were less rushed and the penmanship larger. These, Gregor was fairly certain, were written late at night. Or whenever it was Zalvetta was actually supposed to be sleeping. He felt safe in this assumption because of the smudges to the letters sometimes accompanied by what looked like a stain from coffee or tea or some other such drink.

Well, that and the memorable occasion where in one such letter an entire paragraph had been almost entirely illegible due to these smudges. In the margins had been an apology, once again in the smaller, more rushed handwriting, about how Zalvetta had apparently fallen asleep at his desk and that, if it was any consolation, he had gotten the words stamped onto his forehead and hadn't been able to go anywhere without his robes for the next three days.

“Gregor?” Markus' voice made him jump. It took a moment for him to come back to his surroundings and he looked around. He and Markus were the only people left awake. “You're usually asleep by now are you ok?”

“I think so?” Gregor looked down at the letter again. He felt a cloudiness of sleep pushing at the edges of his mind and he knew he should be curling up under the table for the night but something was nagging at him. Think about his feelings. What about his feelings?

He made a frustrated noise and let his head fall to the table, slumping over somewhat defeated. It had been a while since he'd been so fixated on something it cut into his sleep schedule. Which was good. Missing sleep made him jittery and nervous.

A shuffling noise made him aware of Markus, moving around the table to take the seat opposite to him. A hand reached out and gently ruffled his hair.

“Well at any rate you should sleep.”

Gregor nodded and sat back up. “Thanks for reminding me.” He stood up and stretched, going to fetch a blanket from behind the bar counter where they were stored when no one needed them. The silence was almost eerie as he removed his armour. He wasn't used to things being so quiet.

Sleep, however, did come easily. He was out almost the moment his head hit the pillow. Somewhere on a slightly different plane of existence Death was considering they might have chosen the wrong mortal to speak to in this case. Though Zalvetta was less easy to talk to and didn't know them as Death, he was the one more in tune with his feelings in this case.

***

Morning arrived with a soft shake to the shoulder and a concerned voice. Gregor opened his eyes slowly, squinting against the light of the sun seeping in through the windows and the cracks in the walls. The sun that was too high in the sky. Abruptly he sat up straight. Or he tried to, he knocked his head into the underside of the table and fell back into his pillows, a quiet whine the only noise he made.

“Oh Gods, Gregor are you ok?” Ashe spoke again. “I'm sorry I startled you, the bar's opening in five minutes.”

Gregor tried to ignore the dull throbbing in his forehead as he slowly crawled out from under the table. Ashe's concerned look didn't let up. She reached forward and gently touched the non bruised part of his forehead.

“No fever...” She stood up, looking in the direction of the bar counter. Inien already stood behind it and Thog was seated on one of the chairs.

“Thanks for waking me up,” Gregor said as he slowly got to his feet. The world spun for a second and he likely would have toppled over unless Ashe had noticed and steadied him.

“Are you sure you're ok?” She frowned, looking him over as if she was trying to pick out possible visible symptoms or illness or injury. Apart from the bump on his forehead.

“I think I need to sit down.” His voice was a bit of a mumble. Ashe nodded, quickly pulling forwards a chair. He halfway collapsed into it, wincing at the sharp pain the action sent through his head. He didn't really register that Ashe had left him alone until Thog showed up and dumped an ice pack next to him on the table. He picked it up quickly and pressed it against his forehead. Immediately his head cleared somewhat.

With a relieved sigh he turned to Thog. “Thanks.” He smiled. Thog shrugged, once again shoving his hands into his pockets.

“You need anything else?” he asked. Gregor began to shake his head, regretted the decision, and opted for instead answering with a simple spoken denial. Thog nodded and headed back to his place by the bar counter.

Gregor remained seated for a while until he could properly think again and the pain in his head had dimmed. By that time the bar already had some customers. Quietly he got up and excused himself, leaving out the back door.

The sun was high in the sky. A small cloud crawled across an otherwise entirely blue sky, save for a vague darkness in the distance that spoke of possible rain to come. He could, faintly and from a ways away, hear the sound of waves crashing against the shore, but far more clear was the sound of the wind in the trees. A small bird took off from the roof of the bar as he passed by its perch.

He found a secluded spot, somewhere where he could to his morning exercises without any of his friends worrying. Even he knew the benefits of taking it easy every now and then, despite what they might think. He'd just hit his head. Pretty hard, admittedly, but it wasn't enough to stop him from moving.

The forest about him buzzed with life even as he sat down to rest a few minutes later. He could see why Ashe liked the place so much. Well, to a certain extent. There was a lot of life here. In the distance a large form stopped and turned her head to look in Gregor's direction. He recognized her as a doe. They stared at each other for a moment before she turned and left, leaving Gregor alone to his own devices again.

He got to his feet again and continued on his way. There was no clear path for him to follow so he just let his feet take him wherever they wanted while his mind wandered.

The sun, though high in the sky, didn't bother him, walking as he was in the shadows cast by the trees. The forest was calm, for the moment. Its tiny creatures scurried about, going about their lives and for the most part either ignoring him or hiding as he approached.

The first drop of rain on his cheek came as a bit of a surprise, though that was only his own fault. He hadn't been paying attention to the world darkening around him as the clouds gathered.

It was around lunchtime, if he had to guess. He stayed his steps and took in his surroundings. He was standing underneath a large tree. It's old branches groaned softly and its leaves rustled in the wind.

He recognized this place. A little further ahead he would find a clearing with an old, abandoned hut at its centre. If he headed north he would be out of the forest quickly. He hadn't exactly taken it upon himself to learn all of the isles' forests like the back of his hand, that was more Ashe, but he had recognized the need to have at least a passing knowledge. To the point where he wouldn't get easily lost.

The rain came down gently, the raindrops mostly just hit the canopy above him, few wound their way down to fall onto him. He started on his way back to the bar, following the route he'd mapped in his head. His memory did not fail him, he was out of the forest within minutes. The rain was coming down faster now, he quickly found himself drenched to the bone.

The glow from inside the bar looked warm and inviting but Gregor knew well enough not to be fooled. It was warm only because his friends were there, otherwise it was far too full of holes to provide proper shelter. Going by how empty it looked through the windows the customers had figured that out, too.

He made his way quickly to the back door again, attempting to shake himself off when he got inside. Emergency blockades had been put up over the worst of the holes. The results weren't exactly stellar but they'd do. He had only begun to twist the water out of his hair when he was suddenly enveloped in the familiar warm softness of a towel.

He took it and undid his ponytail, quickly towelling off his hair and removing his chest plate and shoulder guards. Once he emerged from the towel again he spotted Ashe, who seemed to have undergone much the same treatment. She sat at a nearby table, hair still slightly damp, with a blanket wrapped around her.

“Want something warm to drink?” Thog asked as he walked past. Gregor shook his head, taking a seat at the same table Ashe was occupying. The bar was almost entirely silent, save for the sound to the rain outside and inside to some extent. Almost everyone had grabbed a blanket and wrapped themselves up to wait for the weather to clear.

Markus was the only exception. He was doing something over by the bar counter, humming quietly to himself. Soon enough the answer to the question of what exactly he was doing became clear. The first to get a plate of food set down in front of them was Thog.

Soon after everyone, no matter where they'd decided to curl up, had lunch in front of them. Gregor looked down at the salad Markus had made for him.

“You didn't have to,” Ashe spoke what was on Gregor's mind. Markus took the seat next to her.

“Come on, I wanted to.” He grinned, pushing her plate further towards her.

“Thanks, Markus.” Gregor smiled lightly but ignored the salad for the moment in favour of retrieving the writing supplies from where they were stored. He sat back down, planning to write his answer to Zalvetta's latest letter.

“Invite him over,” Markus said. Gregor looked up, slightly confused.

“Why?” he asked. Markus leaned his chin in his hand and gave Gregor a long, searching look.

“Because it's been a while. Because you miss him. Because one of you needs to say something neither one of you has managed to put to paper. Because the Isles are nice this time of year.” He shrugged. “Pick any reason you like.” Gregor frowned briefly, thinking it over. He really wouldn't mind seeing Zalvetta again. Markus was right, it had been a while.

Still mulling it over he placed pen to paper and began to write. It didn't end up a very long letter but it was nice, filled with mundane little parts of life. A new knitting project, what little news there was to tell, some new small disaster. They never seemed to run out of those. Though Gregor didn't know it, these letters were always Zalvetta's favourite. More than reports of grand adventures the small, everyday things were somehow so much more important. A closer connection.

At the very end of the letter a few short lines in Gregor's familiar, bold hand, cautiously mentioned that Zalvetta would be welcome on the Shrouded Isles if he ever wanted to visit. Those lines settled any debate he might have had with himself.

The next letter Zalvetta penned he delivered in person.

**Author's Note:**

> I love my old as the cycle of life and death itself children, ok? Ok.  
> Also Momkus is best.


End file.
